Here is another device to use in helping you capture and leave a legacy of wisdom for your children and grandchildren.  It is as interview format that your children, but more probably your grandchildren, can follow to ask you about your life and times.

Given the usual dynamics between parent and child it is not likely that your children would feel free enough to ask the insightful questions that would lead to the greatest transference of your wisdom.  And, you probably would be so protective of your role as parent that it is unlikely that you would feel free enough to answer from the fullness of your life experiences.  So we suggest that you arrange to have one or more of your grandchildren interview you about your life’s experiences and the lessons you have learned.  Let them be the Larry King and you be the visiting dignitary.  The following questions are suggestive only.  So don’t let you or your grandchildren be trapped by them.  Use them as springboards to take you and them places that will lead to the greatest insights and the greatest transference of your accumulated wisdom.  The questions are organized by generalized subject areas.

PLACES:

1. Where do you enjoy being the most?  Why?  What activities do you engage in while there?  Who do you interact with while there?
2. Have your favorite places changed over time?  What places did you used to enjoy being at and why?  What has changed to take them off your favorite list?
3. Looking back over your entire life what was your favorite home?  Why?
4. What has been your favorite vacation spot?  Why?
5. Are there places or a special place where you like to go alone?  Why?

ACTIVITES:

1. What are your favorite activities in life?  Why?  Can you engage in them anywhere or with anyone or are there special places and people who make them enjoyable?
2. Have these activities changed over time?  What activities did you used to enjoy doing and why?  What has changed to take them off your favorite list?
3. Looking back over your life is there one moment or time when you felt the most fulfilled in anyone of these activities?  Describe it and why?
4. Are there activities that you wished you had engaged in or felt you would like to if you could?  What kept you from doing so?
5. Do you prefer competitive, group or solitary activities?  Why? 

PEOPLE: 

1. Who is your oldest (longest) friend?  What have you learned from him/her?
2. What does it take to earn and maintain a friendship?
3. Who has passed away during you lifetime that left the greatest sense of loss?  What did you learn from them?
4. Who was your favorite teacher(s) and why?  What did you learn from them apart from information?
5. Have you had any mentors apart from teachers and how have they impacted your life?

WORK:

1. What jobs have you held in your life?  What were your favorite jobs and least favorite jobs?  What did you learn from each of them?
2. What work experience do you think everyone should have at least once in their lifetime?  Why?
3. What work have you done in your life that you felt was the most useful?  Why?
4. What was your greatest achievement at work or in your career?  Why?
5. What have you learned about balancing work, career, family and other relationships?  How important is personal success and fulfillment to fulfilling relationships?  Are there any conflicts in this dynamic and how what have you learned about dealing with it?

FAMILY:

1. What is family and what does it mean to you to be a member of your family?
2. What did you learn from your grandparents?  Parents?
3. Which blood relative are you closest to and what have you learned from him/her?
4. What did you get mad at your parents for that later turned out to be a great life lesson?
5. What do you most appreciate about your parents; your siblings?

PARENTING:

1. What one thing do you wish you knew about parenting before becoming a parent?
2. What are your fondest memories about parenting?
3. What were your most difficult moments as a parent and what did you learn from these moments?
4. What have your children taught you?
5. What do you hope you have taught your children?

MARRIAGE:

1. What one thing do you wish you knew about marriage before getting married?
2. What was the most difficult to learn about marriage?
3. How has marriage changed you?
4. What has your spouse taught you?
5. What is most rewarding or fulfilling about marriage?

MEMORIES:

1. What is your most vivid memory and what did you learn from it?
2. What major milestones (positive or negative) have dramatically shaped your life and how?
3. What is the best gift you ever gave or received?
4. What is your earliest memory of being grateful to someone else?
5. What do you remember as your greatest achievement?

LIFE’S LESSONS:

1. What lessons have you learned that you wish you had known earlier in life?
2. What three things do you want your great-great-grandchildren to know about life?
3. What do you remind yourself of during the best of times and the worst of times?
4. What role has loss played in your life?  What have you learned from loss?
5. What has caused you to grow the most as a person?

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND THE PERFECT DAY?